This thread is about menopause symptoms. It's going to be a little graphic because my symptoms are graphic. There, I did warn you...proceed with caution.

Okay, I'm 53. I've just started to become irregular. I have a 28 day cycle since the age of 13 and ovulated on day 14, like clockwork. Now my cycles are a bit more spread out, the last one was 55 days ago. This started in early winter. I've never had a hot flash. My mom said she never had one either. It must be in the gene pool. The bad news is that I now have an irregular heart beat. It happens right before the onset of my period, then goes away again. Curious enough, I remember when I was in high school and Mom had the same irregular heartbeat. Nothing became of hers so I feel like I have little to be concerned about. Hers eventually went away, mine will too. One thing I am concerned with is the amount of bleeding that I have during this particular cycle. I almost bled to death after the birth of my second child. My DH said that this flow reminds him of when I almost died. I had about a 12 oz gush, all at once, during the day. It went everywhere and it just gushed. I've never had that happen during a period. Boy, I'm so glad it happened at home. I can't imagine what I would do if I was running errands. Sorry about the graphic nature of this. I did warn you. Should I be concerned? I am pretty much fine otherwise. How long do these gushers last? I seem to have cramps for a day or two also. I have never had cramps prior to this transition. Has anybody experienced this? I would prefer not to use medication for symptoms. Looking for some natural relief.

Is this God's way of making me be thankful periods will be over with soon because they are becoming so awful? I recently made the comment that I wished I didn't have periods anymore. Be very careful what you wish for...

I'm in perimenopause and I get the gushers too. It's bad. They are watching my iron as I am getting increasingly anemic because of it. I have a script for Tranexamic acid to slow the bleeding when I need it. I need to have an ablation done but I've been putting it off.

I used to eat chicken livers when I was pregnant because my health professionals were thinking about putting me on iron pills. I already knew that iron pills tend to make one constipated. That's the last thing I wanted to deal with. Eating chicken livers did the trick during that time. Do you think it would be a good idea to start eating chicken livers during these episodes? I don't mind it. My DH asks me to make pork liver all the time. I suppose that might help too, if I join him. Pork livers are not my favorite but to keep from getting anemic I will eat it.

I think you should talk with your doctor. Get your levels tested and discuss your options. You may or may not experience anemia. My mother and mother-in-law both had horrific periods, and it only worsened as they were in perimenopause. My mother-in-law experienced pretty severe anemia, but my mom didn't.

And yes, I often think that some of these difficult experiences are part of how God prepares us to embrace a transition rather than mourn it. I often thought that the entire purpose of the last six weeks of pregnancy was to make a woman so uncomfortable that she was willing to face her fear of labor.

IM_a_Farmwife wrote:I used to eat chicken livers when I was pregnant because my health professionals were thinking about putting me on iron pills. I already knew that iron pills tend to make one constipated. That's the last thing I wanted to deal with. Eating chicken livers did the trick during that time. Do you think it would be a good idea to start eating chicken livers during these episodes? I don't mind it. My DH asks me to make pork liver all the time. I suppose that might help too, if I join him. Pork livers are not my favorite but to keep from getting anemic I will eat it.

Any organ "meat" isn't healthy. Think about what your liver does. Do you really want to eat another animal's liver? Best best increase your green leafy veggies and red meat.

Have you been checked for fibroids? They can cause that. I think if you are already going through menopause, you're likely to be able to avoid surgery if you do have them, but it's probably wise to be "careful" that time of the month.

I started keeping an "emergency kit" in my car: clean underwear, a washcloth and a Shout wipe, and extra pads.

I wouldn't stand up quickly, and I learned to assume that standing up meant I'd better head toward the bathroom. I took a nap daily during heavy days, to give my body a rest. I ate beef at least once (that one is controversial whether it's a good or bad idea, but I felt I needed it). And I took iron.

I was looking at foods that are iron-rich and stumbled upon the WebMD website. They suggested 3 oz of beef livers or chicken livers. They were specific in mentioning livers because they contain the highest amounts of iron. The second highest source of iron was in group with beef cuts, sardines in oil, and turkey. Last, with the lowest amounts of iron, was chicken meat, halibut, haddock, perch, salmon, tuna. ham, and veal. We grow our own meat and control the inputs. Our pigs sleep under the stars. I also have an orchard that uses no chemicals. We probably eat the way our great grandma ate. I recently told a friend that our children have never ate fish sticks. She found that unbelievable. Okay, back to the iron-rich foods, there is also iron in lentils, beans, and spinach but we are less able to absorb the iron from those things. I'm still going back to the chicken livers from my own chickens. I will only eat them if I'm feeling really worn down. I don't feel that way right now. We eat lean red meat every day.

I do have fibrous chunks that are discharging. This is the first time that has happened. DH said it was my body's response as I go through menopause. I suppose that's normal given my age and this change in life stuff.

I do have a question. What do you mean be careful during that time of the month? Do we need to forgo sex? Do I get out of doing chores? I was just wondering. Thanks for the "emergency kit" idea. I already keep a spare pair of shoes in the car incase we have an emergency in the cow yard. I don't go anywhere with manure on my shoes. I also keep a spare long sleeved shirt and a wide brimmed hat in the car so I don't get a sunburn. It makes sense to also have an emergency kit for the gusher days.

I wasn't married during my own gusher days, but if I had been, sex would definitely have been impossible, and I kept all activity to a minimum. (Dishes can usually wait till tomorrow, for instance, and this is as good a day as any to pull out the second half of that split-pea soup I froze when I made some two weeks ago. I'd wait to mow the lawn or anything else that could wait.) It depends on your own energy level; for me, sometimes I felt like I might faint if I pushed myself, and that just wasn't worth it. In my early days with fibroids, I didn't have to be as careful as the last few years, when I really had waited longer than I should have to take care of them.

I've seen the best menopausal anemia results with yellow dock, red raspberry, dandelion & nettles-the latter three brewed as a tea with 2 parts red raspberry to one part each nettles and dandelion. I've also had ladies get the yellow dock as a tincture and it too worked very well to raise their iron levels.

I am 43 and the concept of gushing is terrifying! I had no idea this was a fairly common occurrence during menopause. I am certainly learning a lot. So sorry you are going through this, farmwife, but thanks for being willing to share.